Sleep
by ArtImitatesSex
Summary: CedricHermione. Post GOF. She thinks of him in her dreams, but does he think of her? Read and Review!
1. Chapter 1

**Sleep**

**And So I'm reaching out for the one  
And So I've learned the meaning of the sun  
And All this like a message to shift my point of view  
I'm watching through my own light as it turns the shade of you**

Hermione ran into her bedroom. It had been exactly twelve days since Cedric had died and school had been released. She was back at home, with her parents. She had all of summer to be alone and dwell on recent events. The Tournament. Mad- Eye Moody. Voldemort.

Cedric.

She thought of him the most. They never really spoke to each other much. Hardly at all actually, mostly he just talked to Harry. There was always something about him however. Something Hermione could never quite place while she was at school. Now she knew, now that he was gone. She knew.

It was infatuation.

Silly, how fate dealt her a delayed card. Funny, she would realize her attraction to the handsome Hufflepuff weeks after his horrific death. Yes, how humorous.

She sat alone and cold on her own bed. In her own home. Her parents had noticed that she was acting differently, but when questioned, Hermione just ran off. She felt exhausted, alone and she desperately wanted to go back in time to see him again. His smile was already starting to fade. Her light brown hair already dissipating into the edges of her memory. She closed her eyes and thought long and hard, but it was no use.

She laid her tired head against her pillow, and felt her eyelids growing heavy. She didn't want to sleep, sleep brought back horrors, blinding with green lights. Her body was stronger and won over her logic. She fell asleep within minutes.


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione didn't know where she was. It was dark, and a heavy fog hung low to the ground. She was holding her wand, defensively at her side. She looked at her clothes. They were ripped and covered in dirt. She felt sweaty and an uneasy feeling ran through her entire body. She started walking through the narrow passageway and soon realized, with great horror, where she was. The Maze. Panic began to take over as this was the last place she wanted to be.

She stopped walking. She had to. She couldn't stand to be in here. She fell onto her knees and started to cry. Then, she heard a branch snap behind her. She turned and lifted her wand to shoulder level.

"Who's there?" She called out into the empty air. She couldn't see much, just the thick grey fog in front of her. But, she could still hear the footsteps.

"Tell me who you are!" She yelled again. The footsteps stopped.

"It's me." Was all she heard, but she new who it was immediately. She got up onto her feet and stood there, dumbfounded. As she stared into the fog, she saw a figure. It was getting clearer and clearer as it walked towards her. After what felt like a dozen long minutes, he stepped out of the heavy mist. Immediately, she felt her body start to lose feeling and a tear slid down her dirty cheek.

"Cedric?" She finally said, forcing the words to exit her throat. He smiled politely at her, taking another step closer.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked. She couldn't think of anything to say. She felt stupid for asking, because she knew she was obviously dreaming.

"I came to see you." Was all he muttered. He sounded quiet and sad. He kept walking closer to her, and the closer he got, the less Hermione knew what to do with herself.

"I've been watching you, Hermione. I've been watching everybody but for the last few days I've been watching you." Hermione took a good look at him as he said this. He was wearing his torn and tattered Triwizard uniform. He had a gash across his chiseled cheek. His hair was tussled and messy. She wanted to smile at him, but seeing him like this, the way he looked when Harry brought him back dead. It scared her.

"Why?" Was all Hermione could think of to say.

"At first, I wasn't sure. I was watching Harry, making sure he was okay…and I saw you. I hardly knew you, besides your name, but you looked terribly lost. I thought at first that it just because of Harry. But, I soon realized it wasn't. It was for me." Cedric said, as he took steps closer to Hermione. She wasn't backing away from him. Although, he could feel her fear.

"You were lost because of my death. I wondered why someone I hardly knew would feel like that. So, I watched you." Cedric said. Hermione felt suddenly embarrassed. He lifted hand to touch Hermione, but she quickly backed away. Cedric didn't get upset, in fact, he giggled a bit.

"I'm not a ghost Hermione. You don't have to be afraid of me." He said, as he lifted his hand once again. This time Hermione did not back away, she let his hand touch her cheek. One she felt his warm skin touch hers, another tear fell. She closed her eyes and let the feeling sink in.


	3. Chapter 3

When she opened her eyes, she wasn't in the Maze anymore. Neither was Cedric. They were standing side by side inside the Great Hall. It was decorated like a winter wonderland. She looked over at Cedric, he was in his black and white dress robes and his cuts were all gone. He looked down at her and smiled widely.

"I thought you might like this better." He said with a wink. Hermione smiled and looked down at herself. She was wearing her periwinkle dress. She felt like a princess.

"Shall we?" Cedric asked as he took Hermione's hand and led her onto the dance floor. A blush set upon Hermione's cheeks. She took Cedric's warm hand as he led her onto the dance floor. Everyone else was around them, just as Hermione remembered the Yule Ball to be. Cedric had a smile on his face as he watched Hermione's features light up as they stepped onto the dance floor.

He took her waist and spun her around. Her dress twirled all around her, as a small laugh escaped her throat. She felt happy, she hadn't been happy in a long time. She and Cedric danced in time to the music, and when she looked up to see his face, she saw his smile. He was happy, even his eyes seemed brighter. All he could do was smile at her as he spun her around like a princess.

"This is amazing, Cedric." She said as he pulled her close to him. He smiled once again. His award winning smile. They were hardly dancing anymore, more like just standing together, in the middle of the dance floor.

"I just wanted to show you, that you don't have to be so sad that I'm gone. The ones we love will never truly be gone to us." Cedric said, as he leaned close to her and whispered in her ear. Hermione wasn't smiling much anymore. Her solemn feelings came wafting back as she remembered that this was just a dream.

"I don't want to wake up." Hermione said simply. She didn't. She wanted to stay and de with Cedric.

"You're going to have to eventually. Everyone's waiting for you." Cedric said with kindness. He lifted his hand to her cheek and rubbed his thumb softly against her pale cheek. A tear ran down Hermione's cheek as she looked into his comforting grey eyes.

Almost as quick as lightening, she felt his lips on hers. It was a passionate kiss, which screamed goodbye every time they reached for air. Full of longing, but still sweet and loving. His fingers were in her hair as she lifted her arms to reach around his neck. For all she knew this would be the first and only time that she could be with him, so she was going to live it to its fullest. His lips felt magnetic, as if she couldn't get enough of them.

Then without warning, the kiss ended. Hermione opened her eyes to look at Cedric. He had a sad smile on his face. His face was flushed from the kiss. Even through his sadness though, he smiled at her.

"Time to go. Be careful out there." Cedric said. He kissed her quickly one last time and when Hermione opened her eyes, he was gone. She stood alone in her Yule Ball gown.

Hermione opened her eyes to the song of her mother calling her name. For a split second she felt empty and lonely, and then she remembered Cedric's last words to her. Slowly, a smile crept onto her face. She slowly got up and started to go down the stairs. She wouldn't think of anything the same way ever again.

**I can't sleep.**

**I can't speak to you.**

**I can't sleep.**

**The End**

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